WELL, WE now have a new acting Police Director for the Davao City Police Office (DCPO). He is Col. Mannan Muarip, who, until his new assignment, was chief of the Salaam Center under the Directorate for Police Community Relations based in Camp Crame. Colonel Muarip’s official appointment as DCPO acting Director was effective July 11, 2025.
From his name alone, we can safely assume that he is a Muslim and, in all likelihood, from a Moro province or city in Mindanao.
We have no idea if Acting Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte was consulted by the higher Police authorities in the Colonel’s designation as acting director of DCPO. But perhaps, with the apparent “silence” of Mayor Baste on this designation, maybe he was apprised, or if he was not, maybe the acting Davao City chief executive now feels comfortable that the DCPO is headed by an apparently Mindanaoan guy.
Perhaps Mayor Baste believes that even without consulting, he can trust a Mindanaoan police official more than anyone coming from areas in the Philippines outside of his native Mindanao.
Will the new police city director live up to the expectations of the Davao City residents, much more Mayor Baste’s? “Let us to see,” according to the late Davaoeño Senator Alejandro “Landring” Almendras.
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Now, back to the efforts of some sectors here in Davao City to stop the construction of the 4-kilometer Samal Island-Davao City Connector bridge project. The opposition to the bridge on the grounds of its present alignment, used as the basis of their protest the potential destruction of the environment in that area.
Since at this point in time, the issues raised by the groups who earlier petitioned the Court of Appeals for the issuance of a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) appeared less convincing, the Court authorities, instead of issuing the TEPO, rejected the petition. The CA may have somewhat realized that if it issues a TEPO, then it is curtailing the rights of people to a better life, and for the affected local governments, a better socio-economic condition they so badly desire.
This petition for the issuance of a TEPO by the CA somewhat makes many wonder whether the groups seeking a writ of kalikasan with the Supreme Court are different or the same bridge alignment opposition groups that sought the TEPO issuance.
If they are not the same, then we assume that these groups are not coordinating their actions. If they are the same organizations, then what are they up to in bringing their issues in two different legal venues, apparently at the same time?
Say, are the groups composed of the same organizations exploring the possibility that if they cannot get the TEPO in the court one rung lower, they hope to get it from the Highest Court of the land through their petition for a Writ of Kalikasan?
But what now that the CA rejected the petition for a TEPO? Will the Supreme Court contradict the resolution of its lower court? Or, will the SC find the reason of the CA’s denial of a TEPO for the Samal-Davao City bridge project appropriate and affirm the same in the Petition for the issuance of a Kalikasan Writ?
Again, this one is tricky, but an issue of serious implication to the long-awaited Samal Island- Davao City bridge realization. Our hope is that those who will be tasked to give the final resolution on the controversies hounding the project will consider the number or multitude of beneficiaries, other than the rights of the few to protect their personal interest.
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Oh, this Magna Carta for Barangays Bill was reported filed by reelected Davaoeno Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
We could no longer remember how many previous Congresses we’ve heard of this bill. Yet, until now, it is still being filed? Or is it merely refiled by the senator from Davao?
We can only hope that with Go sponsoring the bill in the Senate and with his being in the so-called Senate majority, the Magna Carta for Barangays bill will finally move and eventually reach the bicameral review body, approved, and finally signed by the President for the same to become a law.
Should the Go proposed bill become a law, then barangay governments will become a real bastion of a foundation for a strong and effective delivery of government services down to the lowest level of Philippine society.
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